1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the floor structure of a vehicle in which a toe board is raised upward from the front end of a floor panel in a vehicle body, and a pad member is extended rearward on the floor panel from a position in the vicinity of the lower end of the toe board.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the conventional floor structure of a vehicle, as shown in FIG. 4, a floor panel, 101 is provided in a substantially horizontal position at the bottom of a vehicle body, and the lower end of a toe board 102 is connected to the front end of the floor panel 101 in a manner being raised upward, as shown in FIG. 4. On the other hand, a cross member 103 is fixed to the rear of the floor panel 101. A dash pad 104 is fixed to the upper surface of the toe board 102, i.e. the vehicle compartment side of the toe board 102. A carpet pad 105 for improving the easiness to step for a passenger is extended rearward from a position in the vicinity of the lower end of the toe board 102 to the cross member 103. An ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 108 is fixed to the vehicle compartment side of the dash pad 104 via a mounting bracket 107, and a stepping bracket 109 is provided on the rear surface side of the mounting bracket 107. A carpet surface 106 is laid to cover the stepping bracket 109, carpet pad 105, and cross member 103.
In the above described conventional floor structure of the vehicle, in the event of frontal crash, the toe board 102 is bent rearward about the lower end thereof as a fulcrum, and therefore, load directed toward the rear of the vehicle is input to the passenger's legs via the stepping bracket 109. Particularly in the event of frontal crash, the passenger tends to step firmly upon the toe board 102 with toes, and hence as described above, even if the toe board 102 is deformed in a direction toward the rear of the vehicle, the heels slide on the carpet surface 106 toward the rear of the vehicle while the ankles are kept at a predetermined angle.
It should be noted that another technique has been disclosed which can surely cause the above described movement of ankles in the event of vehicle crash.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2000-326870.
In the above described conventional floor structure of the vehicle, as shown in FIG. 5, the carpet pad 105 is likely to be bent at a position in the vicinity of the passenger's legs, and on this occasion, the passenger's legs and the bent carpet pad 105 may interfere with each other to inhibit the passenger's heels from sliding toward the rear of the vehicle. As a result, the passenger's ankles may be locked, and moment may be applied to the ankles.